>>> How disappointing, CR7 is going home..
<s>Argentina</s>
<s>Australia</s>
<s>Brazil</s>
<s>Côte d'Ivoire</s>
<s>Japan</s>
<s>England</s>
<s>Ghana</s>
<s>Germany</s>
North Korea
<s>Slovakia</s>
<s>Mexico</s>
<s>Netherlands</s>
<s>New Zealand</s>
<s>Paraguay</s>
<s>Portugal</s>
<s>Uruguay</s>
<s>Spain</s>
<s>Chile</s>
<s>I'm American and I don't understand this sport. Therefore U-S-A! U-S-A!</s>
<s>Obligatory some other team joke option</s>
>>> How disappointing, CR7 is going home..
>> The black orb glitters ominously... but nothing happens..
My (woefully inaccurate) quarter-final predictions:
Holland 1 Brazil 3
It's hard to know what to make of Holland at the moment, and this is their first real test. They'll probably be more comfortable with underdog status anyway. But as one person said, a Brazil side who can defend and who can still score pretty good goals when they feel like it is a bit like a Dalek that can fly - really, really unfair. I tipped Brazil at the start and that's one prediction I feel like sticking with.
Uruguay 2 Ghana 1
Uruguay should have too much for Ghana, unless they make the mistake again of trying to sit back and defend a 1-0 lead.
Germany 3 Argentina 2
Having said they were going out in the last two games they played, I now do an about-face and say that I think Germany can shock Argentina here. I'll also stick my neck out further and say this could be the proverbial Game of the Tournament, with two free-flowing teams with slightly suspect defences.
Paraguay 0 Spain 1
I can see Paraguay trying to play for penalties in this one, especially as they seem to be taking the Ireland 1990 route to success (one win in four games, two goalless draws on the trot). Spain will have to be patient like they were last night, but one moment of magic can win them the game.
"Excuse me Miss, do you like pineapple?"
Even though I really want the Dutch to progress, I can't shake the feeling we'll indeed get beaten by Brazil =/
But if we get through, I hope the Germans will too. If we lose, Argentina may go on, just for the sake of rival clashes!
If Paraguay manage a shock, they might wind up having to rename this World Cup the Copa America!
"Excuse me Miss, do you like pineapple?"
I am very interested to see how well Spain perform when they are playing against a team that doesn't put ten men between ball and goal at every opportunity. People are lowering their chances of beating Argentina (the predicted semi) on a daily basis, but I think Spain will be a different side when they can actually have the opportunity to do something aside from trying to play through a defensive opposition. Hopefully. I have money riding on them to be in the top three (work sweepstake, money for 1st, 2nd and 3rd).
I can not understand for the life of me why Villa was playing on the far left through 90% of that game. Crazy.
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
No football on for the first time in 18 days. A bit confused as to what to do. Actually do some work. No, impossible.
Watched the game from the media seats, and playing Villa out wide seemed to work really well, because it stretched the Portuguese defence (as they had to have someone on Villa the whole night). So, don't think it's a poor strategy. Portugal lost the moment they subbed off Almeida (that guy is awesome), because they lost a pivot to hold up the ball. And Llorente played really well. Spain have an easy enough game against Paraguay next round, so Torres might be given one more chance, but if he blows it, Spain will be stupid not to start Llorente.
I think it was a poor strategy because it didn't work. They only started doing well when Torres was taken off, the other dude (Llorente?) replaced him and joined Villa as a striker pairing. Suddenly, Villa had strike after strike on target or close to it. The game opened up alarmingly. They have Silva, why would they need Villa on the left? They could have started Villa up front and put Silva on the left and left out Torres altogether. Villa is arguably the best striker in the world - why you would want to leave your most in-form star striker on the wing is beyond me, and while that system was in place, it didn't work. He can't cross for crap anyway, so stretching the defence meant little because it didn't open the game up for Spain, it merely meant that Portugal's defence was still unpenetratable and they had a quality striker with a poor cross on the win and an out of form striker leading the line. The mind boggles. Spain won Euro 2008 when Villa lead the line, and he did it well. You shouldn't need to stretch the defence with a guy like him on form - he'll do all the work himself (as he showed late in the second half).
Bow before the mighty Javoo!
I know, right. I feel lost.Originally Posted by champagne supernova
Villa has been playing on the left/support striker for most the tournament. Even in the game against Chile, he wasn't playing as an out-and-out striker.
What happened is that Llorente came on and was actually holding up the ball, instead of losing it instantaneously like Torres, allowing players like Villa and Iniesta to support him in and around the box. Villa's position wasn't the problem, Torres was.
PLEASE HOLD WHILE THE WORLD CUP TAKES A SHORT BREAK.
Cue the adverts...
Str8 Pimpin'
As expected, the FA has announced that Capello will stay on as England manager. Sensible decision from FA shock! Though one crap result now in qualifying for Euro 2012 and the papers will be insufferable again.
"Excuse me Miss, do you like pineapple?"
I AM EXCITED
!!!
YES! YES! LOOK AT THE SIG, BITCH!
Last edited by Aerith's Knight; 07-02-2010 at 04:52 PM.
Well that was definitely a game of two halves. Holland did very well to come back in the second half.
"Excuse me Miss, do you like pineapple?"
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